How do the setting affect the stories of Joyce and Updike? How would the stories work in other settings?
In both stories Araby by James Joyce and A & P by John Updike, the settings affect how the stories take place and how the characters change.This story by James Joyce is the awakening of a boy to how different the world is compared to how he would like to see it. In the beginning of Araby, the setting of this story is very dark and gloomy. " When the short days of winter came, dusk fell before we had well eaten our dinners. When we met in the street the houses had grown sombre. The space of sky above us was the colour of ever-changing violet and towards it the lamps of the street lifted their feeble lanterns. Our shouts echoed in the silent street." This setting symbolizes the loneliness of a child and the sadness of his childhood. The point of the story is that basically it's about a small crush. A young boy's first time falling for an older girl. “She was waiting for us,” “I had never spoken to her, except for a few casual words, and yet her name was like a summons to all my foolish blood.” He wants her to feel the same for him so he decides to buy her something that will mean alot for her. Something that will show his affection towards her.
He goes out of his way and travels to " Araby" (bazaar) a small market away from town. As he gets there he starts to look around to see what he should buy her. He finally finds something that he would love to get her but gets distracted by the sales woman that is flirting with two young men. She asked him if he needed any help with an annoyed tone and a rude way. Things here begin to change. He becomes aware of how things really are. And that he might like her but she might never feel the same for him. He gets upset by what he has seen and decides to leave and buy her nothing.
In the second story, A & P by John Updike, the setting as well fits perfect for the theme. The story "A & P" by John Updike is a story of a young man who gets caught up in his desires and lets his anger get in the way of his thinking and in the end, ends up quitting his job. This story is written in first person, as told from the point of view of a 19-year-old grocery clerk named Sammy. One day, while Sammy is working, three girls walk into the A & P supermarket wearing nothing but bathing suits. At first, one of the girls intrigues Sammy. Everything is fine and nothing is said until the manager comes out. He tells them that they are dressed inappropriate and shouldn't be coming inside the store that way. They are embarrassed and get upset. Sammy can't believe the way he is treating these girls and decides to defend them as they walk out the door. Hoping that they here his heroic way he quits in front of everyone and walks out. But it was too late, because the three girls were long gone. Both settings correlate to one another in the sense of loneliness.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Irony
How do you define "irony"? Do you feel that it is present in Kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour"?
In my own words, I believe that Irony is something ironic in the reading. It is what the author makes the reader believe will happen and the unexpected occurs during the end. The outcome of the story changes completely towards the end. Something that the author has intended to do. In the story " The story of an hour" by Kate Chopin, it definitely does present Irony very well. In the beginning she makes everyone believe that Mrs. Mallard's husband, Brently Mallard; has passed away due to an accidednt that many have died in. The news was spread and reach Mrs. Mallard. We're thereby expected to feel pity and see how it has affected her. As we keep on reading things start to change and Mrs. Mallard actually seems more at peace with herself.
They describe what she starts going through and how she feels about it. At first she is upset and can't really handle the news to well, so she goes up to her room and locks herself in there. She opens up the window and starts to look outside and starts to think. Here we start getting the image that she is in peace. It makes it seem that she has finally been freed and has let go of all that weight she's been carrying for years. It is all going good until the end where we hear about her husband coming home and not aware of the accident in which everyone believed he was involved in. As Mrs. Mallard sees him it's too late for the both of them. Mrs. Mallard ends up dying instead of Brently Mallard. A definite unexpected outcome from the author to the reader.
In my own words, I believe that Irony is something ironic in the reading. It is what the author makes the reader believe will happen and the unexpected occurs during the end. The outcome of the story changes completely towards the end. Something that the author has intended to do. In the story " The story of an hour" by Kate Chopin, it definitely does present Irony very well. In the beginning she makes everyone believe that Mrs. Mallard's husband, Brently Mallard; has passed away due to an accidednt that many have died in. The news was spread and reach Mrs. Mallard. We're thereby expected to feel pity and see how it has affected her. As we keep on reading things start to change and Mrs. Mallard actually seems more at peace with herself.
They describe what she starts going through and how she feels about it. At first she is upset and can't really handle the news to well, so she goes up to her room and locks herself in there. She opens up the window and starts to look outside and starts to think. Here we start getting the image that she is in peace. It makes it seem that she has finally been freed and has let go of all that weight she's been carrying for years. It is all going good until the end where we hear about her husband coming home and not aware of the accident in which everyone believed he was involved in. As Mrs. Mallard sees him it's too late for the both of them. Mrs. Mallard ends up dying instead of Brently Mallard. A definite unexpected outcome from the author to the reader.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Elegy
What is an elegy (be sure to site your source)? How does e.e. Cummings modify this type of poem?
An Elegy is a mournful poem; a lament for the dead.
(Source: http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=elegy)
The shape of the poem is an arrowhead.
In the poem "Buffalo Bill" By E.E Cummings, elegy is present throughout the whole poem. "Buffalo Bill's defunct" is how the poem starts out. With just the word defunct we know that this poem is going to refer to something or someone who no longer is in existence; someone who has already died. The poem continues with the justification of how Buffalo bill use to be. They described what he use to ride and how he use to live life. "Jesus he was a handsome man". Here we get the feeling that the author is mentioning another character in the poem. But we get confused because we're not sure if he's talking about a man or if he's just using an expression. "And what i want to know is how do you like your blue eyed boy Mister Death." Death is mentioned at the end of the poem. What I believe its trying to say is that Death has taken Buffalo Bill away. Hoping now that he is happy with what he has taken away from others.
An Elegy is a mournful poem; a lament for the dead.
(Source: http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=elegy)
The shape of the poem is an arrowhead.
In the poem "Buffalo Bill" By E.E Cummings, elegy is present throughout the whole poem. "Buffalo Bill's defunct" is how the poem starts out. With just the word defunct we know that this poem is going to refer to something or someone who no longer is in existence; someone who has already died. The poem continues with the justification of how Buffalo bill use to be. They described what he use to ride and how he use to live life. "Jesus he was a handsome man". Here we get the feeling that the author is mentioning another character in the poem. But we get confused because we're not sure if he's talking about a man or if he's just using an expression. "And what i want to know is how do you like your blue eyed boy Mister Death." Death is mentioned at the end of the poem. What I believe its trying to say is that Death has taken Buffalo Bill away. Hoping now that he is happy with what he has taken away from others.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
War
Pick two of these poems that deal with war. What is the message that they convey?
Wilfred Owen – Dulce et Decorum Est
Randall Jarrell – The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner
Dulce et Decorum Est and The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner are two poems that deal with the war and death. Dulce et Decorum Est is a poem written by an English solider. He is basically telling the story on his point of view. He's watching a dear friend die at the war in which they are fighting in. " Gas! Gas! Quick boys!- An Ecstasy of fumbling, Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time; But someone still was yelling out and stumbling And flound' ring like a man in fire or lime...". " As under a green sea, I saw him drowning." " He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning." He later on in the poem questions that if it's really worth it to die for your country. I mean you do all these things and sacrifice so much and at the end it's all gone. Just like that. As if nothing ever mattered. " The Old Lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patrai mori".
On the other hand, we also have the poem The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner. In the poem The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner, the narrator of the poem dies at war. He falls asleep while others are firing. The first line, "From my mother's sleep I fell into the State.” The speaker tells us that at birth, he fell from his mother's womb not into ordinary human life but into the womb of the State. "The ball turret was a rotating plexiglass machine gun enclosure that protruded from the belly of the bomber so that the gunner could direct fire at enemy fighters attacking from below." "I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters. Flak which is a jacket designed to provide protection, and woke up to the shooting that were being directed towards him. “When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose.” At this point we get the feeling that he feels worthless. They washed him out of the turret with a hose. Everything that he has done for his country and they couldn't remove his body more properly.
Wilfred Owen – Dulce et Decorum Est
Randall Jarrell – The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner
Dulce et Decorum Est and The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner are two poems that deal with the war and death. Dulce et Decorum Est is a poem written by an English solider. He is basically telling the story on his point of view. He's watching a dear friend die at the war in which they are fighting in. " Gas! Gas! Quick boys!- An Ecstasy of fumbling, Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time; But someone still was yelling out and stumbling And flound' ring like a man in fire or lime...". " As under a green sea, I saw him drowning." " He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning." He later on in the poem questions that if it's really worth it to die for your country. I mean you do all these things and sacrifice so much and at the end it's all gone. Just like that. As if nothing ever mattered. " The Old Lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patrai mori".
On the other hand, we also have the poem The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner. In the poem The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner, the narrator of the poem dies at war. He falls asleep while others are firing. The first line, "From my mother's sleep I fell into the State.” The speaker tells us that at birth, he fell from his mother's womb not into ordinary human life but into the womb of the State. "The ball turret was a rotating plexiglass machine gun enclosure that protruded from the belly of the bomber so that the gunner could direct fire at enemy fighters attacking from below." "I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters. Flak which is a jacket designed to provide protection, and woke up to the shooting that were being directed towards him. “When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose.” At this point we get the feeling that he feels worthless. They washed him out of the turret with a hose. Everything that he has done for his country and they couldn't remove his body more properly.
Digging by Seamus Heaney
What types of words the Heaney uses in his poem Digging? What connotations are present?
The words that Heaney uses in this poem are very powerful. Seamus Heaney is thinking about his roots remembering his father and grandfather and the things they valued. He is questioning whether his work (as a writer) is as valuable - as manly - as worthy as theirs. He obviously shares his father and grandfather's view that hard work which is symbolized by the digging; are essential if a person is to have any real pride. At the beginning of the poem the two men are working: Seamus is writing - his tool is the pen. He becomes conscious of his father at work in the garden. He admires the quality of his father's work. Seeing his father at work in the garden reminds him of his childhood as he watched his father planting potatoes with the same expertise and thoroughness.
Seamus realizes that this pride in work had been passed on to his father by his father. He reminisces about his grandfather, recalling his heroic reputation as the outstanding turf cutter of his day. It is this thought - his worry that he as a writer no longer seems to follow the traditional type of work of his family - that has prompted the poem. In the last three lines (which almost repeat the first two lines) Seamus makes a firm statement. His work as a writer is just as valid. "I'll dig with it" (the pen). Also, One of the phrase that says the squat pen rests; snug as a gun I think what he means is that his pen is very powerful just like a gun is when you are at war.
The words that Heaney uses in this poem are very powerful. Seamus Heaney is thinking about his roots remembering his father and grandfather and the things they valued. He is questioning whether his work (as a writer) is as valuable - as manly - as worthy as theirs. He obviously shares his father and grandfather's view that hard work which is symbolized by the digging; are essential if a person is to have any real pride. At the beginning of the poem the two men are working: Seamus is writing - his tool is the pen. He becomes conscious of his father at work in the garden. He admires the quality of his father's work. Seeing his father at work in the garden reminds him of his childhood as he watched his father planting potatoes with the same expertise and thoroughness.
Seamus realizes that this pride in work had been passed on to his father by his father. He reminisces about his grandfather, recalling his heroic reputation as the outstanding turf cutter of his day. It is this thought - his worry that he as a writer no longer seems to follow the traditional type of work of his family - that has prompted the poem. In the last three lines (which almost repeat the first two lines) Seamus makes a firm statement. His work as a writer is just as valid. "I'll dig with it" (the pen). Also, One of the phrase that says the squat pen rests; snug as a gun I think what he means is that his pen is very powerful just like a gun is when you are at war.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The Holocaust: The Meaning of Never Again part 2 (Extra Credit)
After hearing Leo’s past and experience we had the honor to hear out another survivor. She went by the name of Lisl Bogart. Lisl was 13 years old when her life almost came to an end. Everything that she went through was tough yet restricted and survived. Lisl and her both her parents with her 17 years old brother were deported to the concentration camp back in 1942. And in 1943 both her parents and her brother were taken away and never seen again. Out of her 43 family members that went in she was the only one who had survived. She explained to us that she remembers more or less how it all began. She remembers one cold night the German riding around in tanks through the town. The following morning the town was decorated with Juden signs everywhere.
She remembers going to school and her teacher insulting her in front of everyone. She quoted that this is what her teacher had told her “You dirty filthy Jew. You Pig.” and spit at her and gave her his back. She then thought what she could have done for him to treat her that way. She remembers when the curfews started. Every Jew had to be in by 7 p.m and if they were found at a later time wondering they were taken away and never came back.She showed us her Juden star that was given to her, the original. Juden in German stands for Jews. Everything for her had changed so dramatically. She remembers her father telling her “It would be hard, but we will manage”. The only way to survive would be to be useful. You had to be strong and work for them. The younger ones and older ones were worthless and taken care of in a very rude and upsetting matter.
In the morning to eat they were given brown water which is coffee and a slice if bread. And at the end of the day they were given soup. But not the type of soup that we are thinking of with the noodles and chicken, to them it was a grayish brownish mush. The Red Cross from time would want to visit and see how things were going. So the SS Soldiers would create a pretend village. They would create a bakery, school, a grocery, and even a soccer team. They would gather a group of Jews and some extra and tell them what to say to impress the Red Cross. After that it would be the same story and the same treatment.
There are Holocaust Denier known as the Revisionist, a horrible thing to deny and say that no such thing occurred. 6 million Jews died and 5 million other. A sad ending but like the title says The Meaning of Never Again.
The Holocaust: The Meaning of Never Again (Extra Credit)
(Leo Adler to my left and to your right)
Today March 12, 2009 I attended a Holocaust presentation with true one on one survivor chat. This was the most heart dwelling experience that anyone can ever imagine experiencing. I can truly say that this has changed my way of thinking and seeing life itself. When we first entered the room and once it started we had a welcome greeting by Dr. Harry Hoffman, Dean of Academic Affairs at Miami Dade College. Afterwards we had an opening presentation by Rita Hofrichter, Vice President of the Holocaust Documentation and Education Center, Inc. who gave an amazing speech on how things have changed. We then had Antecedents to the Holocaust by Dr. Abe Gittelson, Sr. Consultant center for Advancement of Jewish Education. He spoke to us of how everything happened and that it all began back in the 1800’s.
We had a round table discussion with Leo Adler, the holocaust survivor. He shared amazing storied with us and things that no one ever wishes to go through. Leo Adler was 16 years old when he was sent to the concentration camp with his 2 brother by the age of 10 and 14, and his two parents and grandparents. Leo was separated by everyone but his 10 year old brother who at the end didn’t survive the camp. He showed us many of the pictures of the camp and gas chambers that till today stand.
He shared stories that were painful and hard to hear or even imagine. Leo had gotten his nose almost cut off by an SS solider. He had bread crumbs in his pockets and was able to stick his nose together and stop the bleeding with the bread, had it there for 3 weeks without removing afraid to lose his nose. Another story that he shared with us was on how in a small boxcar which was used for transportation to the concentration camps, they would insert from 102 to 105 people in there for 8 ½ days without food or water or bathroom breaks. Many died by the second day and it was so cold outside that the bodies were stiffed and stacked on top of each other by others in the boxcar. Many of the ones still alive would rip a piece of clothing off the ones who didn’t survive to make a big rope out of it and try to pick up snow to eat. When it was time to board off only 22 survivors were in his trolley.
Leo showed us his numbers that were marked in his skin and memory for the rest of his life. When the war ended and the U.S had defeated Germany he was 17 years old and weighed 85 pounds. He was alone and had nowhere to go. He started working for the American military and was sent to school for 6 months to learn English. Ever since then he has kept going forward and hasn’t given up on life. He believes that it’s the most precious thing and shouldn’t be taken for granted. Till this day he goes around to meetings and speaks about his past. Wants the truth to get out there and wants us to stop hatred and prejudice. That it can be stopped and avoided.
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